Sweet-feed mixer



June 27, 1 939. T. H. RHZA 2,154,257

SWEET-FEED MIXER Filed Feb. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR.

Juhe 27, 1939. T, R 2,164,257

SWEET-FEED MIXER Filed Feb. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A mun? ATTORNEY,

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for mixing feed.

It is an aim of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for mixing cereals of various forms with molasses or other syrups to provide a fodder containing desired portions of different ingredients, and which may be operated without the use of heat even at very low temperatures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feed mixer having means to supply the molasses to the cereal as it is passing into the mixing chamher, in the form of a fine spray to be thoroughly mixed, as aresult, more readily when it reaches the agitating means of the mixing chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to maintain the mixed feed in the mixing chamber until a certain pressure has been reached thereby insuring thorough distribution of the molasses even under very low temperatures.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the molasses will not drain into the agitator chamber when the device is not in use to leave a residue which will prevent the proper operation of the device thereafter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus in its entirety,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal central vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevational view of a portion of the manifold molasses p p Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of the invention, and

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the dilferent views, l designates generally the framework in its entirety, on which the mixing apparatus comprising this invention is supported.

The feed mixer l l comprises a mixing chamber l2,,which is cylindrical in form and which is provided with a hopper or inlet passage l3, projecting upwardly from adjacent one end thereof, and a depending outlet passage l4 disposed adjacent the opposite end thereof. A shaft l extends longitudinally of and centrally through the chamber 12, and is provided with reduced ends l6 which are journaled in the ends I! of the chamber I2. The screw blade agitators and conveyors l8 and I9 are mounted on shaft l5 and are adapted to be rotated thereby in the chamber I 2 to mix the feed and to convey it therethrough. A pulley 20 is mounted on one end I 6 and is connected by a belt 2| with a pulley 22 mounted on shaft 23 which is driven by an electric motor 24 to drive shaft l5 and the blades l8 and I9.

A pair of flap valves 25 and 26 are pivotally mounted in the outlet 14 in a hood 2'! respectively, to normally close the outlet end of chamber l2. The valves 25 and 26 are provided with the arcuately shaped recesses 28 through which the shaft [5 extends when the valves are in a closed position, as seen in Figure 3. Valves 25 and 26 are pivotally mounted on the levers 29 and 30, respectively, which have their angularly bent ends connected to the contractile springs 3| and 32 which are each connected at their opposite ends to parts of the frame II] to normally retain the valves in a closed position.

A pipe line 32 leading from a source of syrup or molasses supply, not shown, includes an angularlygdisposed portion 33 in which is mounted a pump 34. Section 33 connects with the section 35 of the pipe line 32 which extends upwardly and inwardly to terminate adjacent one side of the hopper l3. Section 35 is provided with a plurality of spaced, angular shaped nozzles, projecting upwardly from the top of the pipe 35, with their open ends extending into hopper l3. The open ends of the nozzles 36, as seen in Figure 6, are crimped at their bottom to form the vertically disposed partition 38 dividing each nozzle into two sections. An angular section 39 of pipe, connects with the opposite end of the section 33 and with the inlet end of the pipe line 32 and with the section 35, to form a return pipe. Mounted in the adjacent ends of the pipes 35 and 39 are the return valves 40 and 4|, respectively, which are connected to the levers 42 and 43, respectively. Levers 42 and 43 are connected by the link 43 so that the manual movement of lever 42 and valve 40 in one direction will move lever 43 and valve 4| in the opposite direction. Lever 42 is provided with the arrow tipped end 44 mounted to move in front of the segmental callbrated dial face which is suitably marked to indicate the various positions of the valves 40 and 4|. Mounted in pipe 35 above valve 40 is a pressure gauge 46 to indicate the pressure in pipe 35.

Pump 34 mounted in the pipe 33 is connected to one end of a drive shaft 41 which is journaled in the upright bearing 48. A pulley 49 is connected to the opposite end of shaft 41 and to a pulley 50 keyed to shaft l5 by a belt 5| which is trained over the pulleys 49 and 50. Pump 34 is thus driven by the electric motor 24 simultaneously with the shaft l 5. The outlet I4, terminates at its outlet end in the two passages 52 having a flap valve 53 mounted therebetween, in the passage l4 and operable by means of a lever 54 which is manually swung from side to side to successively close one of the passages 52 and open the other. A hook 55 is secured to each of the passages 52 to support a feed bag into which the mixed feed is dispensed as will hereinafter be described. Mounted on shaft 15 ,and above outlet M is an impeller 56 adapted to be revolved by the shaft l5 to impel the mixed feed into the outlet l4 after it has passed through the valves .25 and 26.

The frame Hlby which the apparatus 1 l is supported includes the bearings 51, as seen in Figure 4, in which the ends 16 of the shaft l5 are journaled. I

In Figures '7 and 8 a slightly modified form of the invention is shown, wherein thevalve 58 replaces the valve 26, and is slidably mounted in chamber l2 and hood 21. The flap valve .25 is pivotally mounted on the shaft59 to the opposite ends of-which are keyed thecranks 66 which have their free ends connecteduby the links 6l to a rod 62 connected to the upper end of thesliding valve 58, so thatwhen valve ,25 is swung ,to an open position by the pressureof the feed incham- .ber l2 cranks 60 will swing upwardly to raise valve 58 to itsopen position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that motor 24 will drive shaft 23 to drive pulley ,2| and the shaft l5 to revolve the agitating and-conveying Blades IBand [9 are arranged in spaced relationship to .each

other, with blade 18 directlybeneath hopper 13 to receive the feed to be mixed as itenters the chamber l2. As heretofore explained the syrup, preferably in the form of ,molasses will pass through pipe line 32 up through pipe 33 into which it will .be drawnand from which it ,willbe driven by pumps operated as heretofore .de-

scribed, to force the molasses through p pe 35 and through-the jets 36 which will throwa fine spray of molasses across-gthe hopper-l3 to mix with the forage as it is emptied intothe hopper and before it enters the chamber 12. The forage and molasses will be mixed and conveyedby the blades 18 and 19 in and through chamber 12 .until it reaches the valves 25,and.2.6 which will. ,prevent, its further movement until itisthoroughly mixed-and. until the pressure in the chamber 1-2 reaches a predetermined point necessary to actuate levers 29 and 3!! against theresistanceof springs 3| and 32m open .valves 25and26. When valves 25 and 26 are partially opened by the pressure of the feed, the feed will pass there through and be engaged by the impeller 56 which will drive it into outlet 14 to be dispensed through one of the outlets 52 to which is attached a bag by means of hooks 55 to receive the mixed feed. The valve 53 will be operated to successively open the outlets 52 to fill the empty bags which are connected to the hooks 55, in the well known manner. It is desirable to vary the amount of molasses used, and this may be readily accomplished by adjustment of lever 42 to adjust the opening of valve 40 to any desired pressure as indicated by the gauge 46. As valve 46 is closed valve 4! will be opened, as heretofore described, to permit the syrup to pass through pipe 39 to prevent back pressure on the pump 34. When the device is not in operation valves 40 and 4| may be left partly open to permit the molasses to drain out of nozzles 36 and pipe 35 so as not to drip into chamber l2 where it can harden into a sticky mass to prevent proper operation of the device and uniform mixing of the ingredients.

Various modifications and changes in the construction and operation and arrangement of the apparatus may obviously be made and are contemplated, and the right is expressly reserved to ,make such changes and modifications as fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a mixing chamber adapted to contain forage and molasses, agitating and conveying means mounted in said chamber, a plurality of nozzles connected to a molasses conduit and projecting upwardly there- .from and adapted to mixfinely sprayed molasses with the forage as it passes into said chamber, a pump adapted to convey the molasses to said nozzles under pressure, and a plurality of connected valves mountedin said conduit and controlled by a common-lever to vary the pressure of the molasses and to permit the molasses to drain back through said conduit when said mixer is not in operation.

2.,A device as in claim 1, said conduit being provided with azby-pass adjacent itsoutlet end,

controlled-by said valves, said valves being moved in oppositedirections thereby to open one as the other is closed to prevent a back pressure onsaid pump and for draining off the molasses through said by-pass when the pump is not inoperation.

3. In a sweet feed mixer, a mixing chamber having an upwardly extending inlet passage, a

plurality of upwardly and inwardly extending 

